Suspending device for garments

ABSTRACT

GARMENT SUSPENDING DEVICE COMPRISES PAIR OF SHOULDER STRAPS WITH FASTENERS CONNECTING ENDS OF STRAPS TOGETHER TO FORM LOOP. PAIR OF INTERMEDIATE ADJUSTABLE STRAPS IS PROVIDED WITH ONE ADJUSTABLE STRAP SECURED AT ONE END THEREOF TO EACH FASTENER. TERMINAL STRAPS ARE CONNECTED AT THEIR MID PORTIONS TO INTERMEDIATE STRAPS, AND RELEASABLE ATTACHING STRUCTURE AT ENDS OF TERMINAL STRAPS SECURE SUSPENDING DEVICE TO GARMENT OF TYPE WORN BELOW WAIST. SUSPENDING DEVICE IS CONCEALED BY SHIRT OR OTHER OUTER UPPER GARMENT.

25, 1971 J. M. FAULKNER 3,579,639

SUSPENDING DEVICE FQR GARMENTS,

Filed Nov. 8. 1968 United States Patent O "ice 3,579,639 SUSPENDING DEVICE FOR GARMENTS James M. Faulkner, Laurel, Del. (Box 231, Georgetown, Del. 19947) Filed Nov. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 774,244 Int. Cl. A411? 3/02, 5/00 U.S. Cl. 2117 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Suspending device is concealed by shirt or other outer upper garment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a suspending device for garments of the type worn below the waist, and to the combination of a shirt or other outer upper garment and a suspending device concealed thereby.

The advantages of suspender type garment supports over belt and buckle arrangements are well known. Primarily, shoulder suspenders function to support garments of the type worn below the Waist so that they hang properly. Such is not the case with waistline belts because of the continual variance in the waistline of both the garment and the wearer. Throughout the years numerous suspending devices have been proposed for supporting lower garments, such as trousers, for example. However, for the most part the heretofore available suspending devices have met with little commercial success. They are awkward and clumsy to use and have an undesirable appearance. From the standpoint of appearance, it is well known to conceal garment suspenders by locating them under the outer upper garment of the wearer. In the past, suspender shirts of the type disclosed in Young Pat. 1,218,153, granted Mar. 6, 1917, and Gluckman Pat. 2,315,698, granted Apr. 6, 1943, for example, were proposed to solve this appearance problem but difiiculty in using and laundering these items render them totally unacceptable in modern times. The intricate cooperation between the shirt and the suspender structure was the main cause of the difiiculty in usage as well as lengthy laundering time.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unique and highly satisfactory garment suspending device which is easy to use and readily adjustable to the individual dimensions of the wearer.

Another object of the present invention is the combination of a shirt or other outer upper garment and a novel suspending device concealed thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a garment suspending device is provided comprising a pair of shoulder straps with a pair of fasteners connecting the ends of the straps together to form a loop with a fastener at each end of the loop. The suspending device also includes a pair of intermediate adjustable straps, one of which is secured at one end thereof to each fastener. A terminal strap is fastened at its mid portion to the opposite free end of each intermediate strap. Releasable attaching structure at the ends of each terminal strap functions to secure the suspending device to a garment of the type worn below the waist.

3,579,639 Patented May 25, 1971 Preferably, the pair of terminal straps comprise front and back straps and the releasable attaching structure at each end of the front terminal strap includes a pin half that extends through the front strap and a catch half releasably secured to the pin half. Each pin half of the releasable attaching structure at each end of the front terminal strap has a head portion with a surface thereof engaging the front strap. A layer of friction material on the strap engaging surface of each head portion is provided for gripping the front terminal strap of the suspending device.

Further, each catch half of the releasable attaching means at each end of the front terminal strap has a layer of friction material thereon for gripping a garment to be suspended. The friction material on the pin and catch halves may be elastic cloth.

The present invention also includes the combination of a shirt or other outer upper garment and a suspending device for supporting a garment worn below the waist of the wearer. The shirt has a central aperture in the back portion thereof and the back segment of the suspending device passes from under the shirt out through the aperture. The balance of the suspending device is located underneath the shirt and is concealed thereby.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those mentioned above will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front pictorial view of a garment suspending device and shirt according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear pictorial view of a garment suspending device and shirt according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view of the terminal portion of the suspending device shown 1n FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring in more particularity to the drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates a suspending device 10 for supporting a garment of the type worm below the waist, such as trousers 12. As explained more fully below, the garment suspending device 10 is concealed under the upper outer garment or shirt 14 of the wearer to provide a neat outward appearance. The device 10 includes a pair of shoulder straps 16 with a pair of triangular-shaped fasteners 18 connecting the ends of the shoulder straps together to form. a loop with a fastener at each end of the loop. Details of the fasteners 18 are not illustrated and the ends of the shoulder straps '16 are simply threaded through suitable openings 20 in the fasteners and then stitched together to secure the shoulder straps thereto, as is well known.

The garment suspending device 10 also includes a pair of intermediate adjustable straps 22, 2 4 secured to the fasteners 18. The front intermediate strap 22 is threaded through an opening 26 in the fastener 18 and the end portion thereof attached to the blance of the strap by a metal clip 28 to provide the adjustable feature of the intermediate strap. As can readily be understood moving the clip 28 in a downwardly direction shortens the overall length of i the intermediate strap and reverse movement of the clip increases the length of the strap. The back intermediate adjustable strap 24 is attached in similar fashion to the back fastener 18.

Front and back terminal straps 30, 32, respectively, are secured at their mid portions to the lower ends of the front and back intermediate straps 22, 24. This is accomplished by forming a small loop 34 at the lower end of 

